Ground working attachment for tractors



March 3, 1942. LAWLER 2,275,390

GROUND WORKING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Aug. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 3 Q M Q a \r W .QANK P LAWLEE/,

IN VEN TOR.

'- ATTORNEY March 3, 1942. F. P. LAWLER 2,275,390

GROUND WORKING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Aug. 14, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 9a /4/ 6- LII /aa INVENTOR.

u A TTORNEY March 3, 1942. F. P. LAWLER 2,275,390

GROUND WORKING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Aug. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I l 1 I l F A 1 l l i FZm/ /(P L4 WL 52/, IN VENOR.

.-l TTORNEY Mar 3, 1942- F. P. LAWLER 2,275,390

' GROUND WORKING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Aug. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

' A TTORNEY Patented Marr3, 1942 GROUND WORKING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Frank P. Lawler, Huntington Park, Calif.', assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Buckeye Traction Ditcher Company, Findlay, Ohio Application August 14, 1939, Serial No. 290,093

4 Claims.

My invention relates to devices of the general character of bulldozers or trail builders, and relates to a central form of attachment which may be readily applied to a tractor and which will support a ground engaging tool in selected positions of operation.

In devices of this general character a pusher blade or mold board is supported on the front portion of a tractor by means of a U-shaped frame having arms which extend rearward along the sideof the tractor and connect to the tractor at a point near the rear end thereof. A lifting means is placed at or near the front end of the tractor to raise and lower the supporting member and the pusher blade which is secured thereto. It is found that where devices of this general character are applied to a tractor, full pushing efliciency of the tractor is diflicult of attainment for the reason that the addition of the ground working equipment to the front portion of a tractor results in a complete device having a center of gravity positioned toward the front end of the tractor tread, the result being that excessive wear is imposed on the front rollers or bearings for the continuous chain treads forming the: external moving part of the tread elements of a tractor.

An object of the present inventionis to provide a tractor with ground working means projecting forwardly therefrom, means and its supporting parts are so proportioned and positioned that the resulting structure of a tractor and the attachment has a center of gravity shifted but little forward of the central transverse plane of the tractor tread element. This relieves the front end of the tread structure from excessive wear, and also makes it possible to obtain maximum traction or pushing effect from the tractor, for the reason that the tread chains are given maximum engagement with the surface of the ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ground working attachment for a tractor wherein separate supports are mounted on the two tread elements of the tractor so that the load or dead weight of the ground working attachment will be transmitted directly through the tread element to the ground, accordingly avoiding the application of strains or forces which might rupture any part of the tractor body. These supports move up and down as the tractor is propelled over uneven ground. It is a feature of this device to provide suspension or lift means for connecting the ground working elements to the support, the same having which' ground working 1 primary equalizer being relatively slow in its action, and the secondary equalizer being connected in parallel to the primary equalizer and being substantially instantaneous in its equalizing action so that substantially full compensationfor sudden changes in the positions of the tread elements will be attained.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means for rigidly supporting the pusher blade or mold board of the tractor attachment in selected positions of operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment for a tractor wherein a pusher blade is supported that it may be tilted from a horizontal position to a pitched position, there being means for rigidly and positively securing the adjustable parts together in desired positions of operation.

A further object of the invention is to-provide a simple and positive acting clamping means which may be employed to clamp together the adjustable parts of the device by which the ground working or pusher blade is rigidly held in operative position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clamping means having a rugged clamping screw with an enlarged head to securely engage a tapered seat formed in one of the parts to be secured together. This engagement of the head and the seat not only tightly clamps the parts together but also cooperates as 'a centralizing or positioning means whereby to move the cooperating parts of the device into their respective positions of operation. This feature of the invention contributes to ease and simplicity of adjusting the partsof the device to different positions of cooperation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment for a tractor of the above nature having a simple and effective cable'operated means for controlling the raising and lowering movements of the ground engaging parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment of the above character having lift means for supporting the ground engaging part and its supporting frame, wherein a cable equalizer and a mechanical equalizer are employed in parallel so that the load of the ground engaging member and its supporting frame will be constantly divided substantially equally between the two tread elements of the tractor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple means for securing the lift or control element of the device to the independent supports which are mounted on the tread elements of the tractor, this simple attachment means making it possible to conveniently replace the cable lift or control means with other lift or control means, such as hydraulic type.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of my invention affixed to a tractor.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially as indicated by the line 2'--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the front portion of a tractor equipped with a form of my invention having a single equalizing means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view corresponding to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sub-elevation corresponding to Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. .1.

Fig. '1 is a cross-section taken from the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

. Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken as indicated by the line 8-8 of- Fig. 1 to show the means for attaching the sheaves to the mechanical equalizing means.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 8--9 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken on a plane represented by the line ||1||1 of Fig. 3 to show one of the clamping means of the invention.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-section on a plane represented by the line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view showing an alternative form of clamping means to be used when the pusher blade is in bulldozing position.

Fig. 13 is a cross-section on a plane indicated by the line |3|3 of Fig. 12.

My present invention is especially adapted for use with a tractor of the track laying type having tread elements 2| at the sides thereof, each tread element including a chain belt or linked element 22, and means for supporting and driving the chain belt 22 consisting of a drive sprocket (not shown) disposed at the rear end of a tractor and an idler wheel 24 spaced forwardly from the sprocket, there being an internal supporting structure 25 for the chain loop 22, which supporting structure is positioned within the chain loop and includes a horizontal beam 26. This tractor 20 includes an engine 20a. at the forward end thereof, and suitable transmission, not shown, to deliver driving power through the sprocket to the chain belt 22 of the tread elements 2|. As the tractor is propelled over uneven ground, the forward portions of the tread elements 2| swing up and down on the axes of the drive sprocket 23.

In my invention I employ a thrust member 21 which is of U-shaped form. On the front portion of this thrust member 21 a ground working member 28 is supported. In the general practice of the invention this ground working member 28 consists in a pusher blade or mold board which may be used in laterally extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, or in angled position, as shown in Fig. 4, this depending on whether the device is to be used for ordinary bulldozing operations or for trail building. The thrust member 21 has a pair of side arms 28, which extend along the sides of the tractor, asbest shown in Fig. 1, and a cross member 30 rigidly secured to the front ends of the side arms 29 in a position ahead of but close to the forward end of the tractor 20. The cross-member 30 has a central portion 3| and a pair of rearwardly sloping portions 32 which connect to the front ends of the side arms. The side arms 29 extend back to points near the rearward ends of the tread elements 2| and carry fittings 33 by which the side arms are connected to pivots 34 comprising pins which project outwardly from the sides of the tread elements. These fittings 33 are of detachable type and employ removable blocks 36 which are secured in positions by vertical pins 31.

The pusher blade 28 is shaped so that as it is moved forward in the lowered position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, it will roll material ahead of it. This pusher blade 28 includes a curved plate 38 and a removably secured scraper knife 40, with corner bits 4| secured at the ends thereof. The upper edge of the plate 38 is bent rearwardly to form a horizontally flange 42, and a nearly horizontal bottom plate 43 is placed at the lower edge of the pusher blade 28, there being vertical end plates 44 at the ends of the plates 38 and 43, such end plates being preferably welded in place. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, a universal joint. connects the central portion of the pusher blade 28 to the central portion 3| of the thrust member 21. This universal joint comprises a horizontal pin 41 which extends through the central portion 3| of the cross-mem- "ber 30 and has a head 48 drilled to receive a substantially vertical pin 50 which is also passed through openings 5| in spaced plates 52 and 53 which are welded on the back of the plate 38 in a position above the bottom plate 43. In positions to straddle the head of the pin 50, vertical bracing plates 54 are welded to the back of the plate 38 in positions above'the central portion of the plate 52. These plates 52- and 53 form ribs on the back of the pusher blade 28, these ribs diverging outwardly from the center towards the end of the pusher blade 28and define channels 51 which increase in vertical dimension from the center of the pusher blade 28 towards the ends thereof. One form of adjustable connection between the pusher frame and mold board which I may employ consists of arcuate segments 58 secured in the outwardly flaring channels 51, such segments being curved on a radius having its center point in the axis defined by the horizontal pin 41, by means of a bolt 59, to be selectively passed through openings 60 in the segments 58. Connector bodies 64 may be secured to the segments 58 in such position as to secure the desired tilt or pitch of the blade from the horizontal position thereof shown in Fig. 3. Each connector body 64 carries a vertical hingev pin 65 on which a bracket 88 is swingable. Each of the brackets 68 is welded to the forward end of an extension 10. These extensions 18 are adjustable on the side arms 29 of the thrust member 21 so as to have different positions of forward extensions to carry the pusher blade 28 in lateral position, as shown in Fig. 1, or angled position, as shown in Fig. 4, and each extension 18 preferably comprises a channel bent from sheet steel, as best shown in Fig. 10, of a size to fit over a side arm 29. This channel has top and bottom walls which are stiffened by vertically projecting flanges 1 The invention provides a simple and improved means for clamping the extension 18 in the desired position of forward projection, and in the preferred practice of the invention two differentv forms of this clamping means .are employed, as shown at 12 and 13 of Fig. 1, and as further shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Each of theseclamping means employs a screw 14 of essentially identical form so that the screws 14 may be used interchangeably. Each screw 14 has a head 15 with a downwardly converging conical face [5 coaxial with a cylindrical barrel 11 and a threaded stem 18. The clamping means12 are vertically disposed; whereas, clamping means 13 are horizontally disposed, the clamping means 13 being used only when the pusher blade 28 is supported in laterally extended position, as shown in Fig. 1. The clamping means 12, however, are employed in all positions of the extension 18 on the side arms 29.

The clamping means 12 has a body 19 with opening 88 through the body 82 is materially larger than the opening 81 in the top of the side arm 29, this opening 81 being coaxial and communicating with the bore 88 of the body 19. The body 19 may be welded in place, as shown in Fig. 10.

A feature of the clamping means 12 is that alignment of the cooperating parts may be obtained in a simple manner during manufacture of the attachment. For example, with the threaded body 19 in place in the side arm 29, the collar 82 may be secured on the upper face of the side arm 29 by use of the clamping screw 14. The extension 10, with the opening 86 therein slightly oversize, may be placed in position, and the weld 88 may be applied as shown in Fig. to secure the collar 82 in the extension in proper position.

As shown in Fig. 11, the clamping means 13 includes a sleeve 89 Welded in the side arm 29 near the forward end thereof and in a position to project outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane, this sleeve having in the outer end thereof a cylindrical bore 88, and a coaxial threaded bore 8|. In assembling the cooperating parts of the clamping means 13, a collar or body 82 is secured against the outer end of the sleeve 89 by means of a clamping screw 14, and the extension 10 is then placed in intermedate position, as shown in Fig. l, with the collar 82 projecting through an opening 90 in the side wall of the extension 18, after which the weld 9| is applied.

When an extension 10 is being adjusted into a desired position of projection, accurate alignment of the cooperating parts of the clamping means 12 and 13'is not necessary, for the reason that the opening 81, Fig. l0, and the cylindrical bore 88, Fig. 11, is smaller than the opening cooperative openings. The tightening of the head 15- down into the conical seat 85 will pull the collars 82 into axial'alignment with the threaded openings. The extension 18 will be positively pulled into place even though the same may have become slightly warped. An additional feature is that the threads of the bodies 19 and the sleeves 89 are concealed and protected, due

to the fact that the threaded bores 8| are spaced from the end of the members 19 and 89. The engagement of the conical faces 18 of the screws with the conical seat 85 produces a frictional engagement which will positively lock the screws 14 in place.

An additional feature of the present invention is that each extension 18 is rigidly secured to its cooperating side arm 29 by a pair of securing means. When the pusher blade 28 is in lateral, or bulldozing position, as shown in Fig. 1, secur ing means 12 and 13 are employed in spaced position in each extension 18. When the pusher blade 28 is in this laterally'extended position, the extensions 18 diverge so that when the rear end of each extension lies close to a side arm 29 an intermediate portion of the extension 18 will be spaced from the side arm, but the same will be rigidly connected to the forward portion of its cooperating side arm by the cooperation through collars 82a and 82b into openings 81c through the collar 82. 'All that is necessary is to have the extension 10 in such position that the screws 14 may be started in the respective of a screw 14 with a sleeve 89. It will be noted that each side arm '29 has only one sleeve 89, but has in the top face thereof four openings 81, as indicated at 81a, 81b, 81c, and 81d, in Figs. 1 and 4, each of these openings 81 leading into a threaded body 19 of the character shown in Fig. 10. Each extension 10 has three of the collars 82 mounted in the upper wall thereof, as indicated at 82a, 82b, and 820. pusher blade 28 is in bulldozing position, as shown in Fig. 1, screws 14 are passed through the collars 82 in the sides of the extensions 18 into the sleeves 89, and screws 14 are passed through the collar 82a at therear ends of the extensions 10 into openings 81b, When the pusher blade 28 is in either of its angledpositions, as shown,

in Fig. 4, for example, screws 14 will be passed and 81d, on one side of the tractor, and on the other side of the tractor screws 14 will be passed through collars 82a and 820 into openings 81a and 81d. A plurality of spaced openings are provided in the web of each extension 18, to.

accommodate the sleeves 89. In each instance the extensions 18 will be each rigidly secured by a pair of clamping means, and therefore the ends of the pusher blade 28 will be rigidly secured in operating position. 4

To adjustably support the front end of the thrust member 21 and its attached pusher blade 28, I provide supporting members 92 mounted independently on the tread elements 2|, these supporting members having the function of transmitting the load of the forward portion of the attachment directly to the tread elements and thence to the ground, without placing harmful strains in the body castings of the tractor 20. It is a feature of the invention to provide a sup-v port, such as the support 92, of such character that a lift means, such as the cable lift means 98, or other lift means, may be detachably secured thereto. Accordingly, each support 92 is provided with a post member 93, the lower portion of which is bolted, as at 94, to the internal supporting structure 25 of the cooperating tread element. At the upper end of each post 99 there is ahorizontal portion or member 95, preferably When the made from a channel placed with its flanges directed downward so that the web 96 thereof will form a substantially horizontal table to carry detachable securing means in spaced relation. The front securing means comprises a pair of spaced fins or lugs 99, to support; a horizontal pin I and the rear securing means comprises a pair of spaced fins or lugs I00 to support a horizontal pin I02. The cable lift means 98 comprises pairs of plates I36 which are placed in spaced relation so asto form arms I31 which extend forwardly and upwardly. The pins IM and I02 pass through the lower portions of the plates I36, thereby securing the same rigidly to the table portion 95 and the supporting members 92. Across the forward portion of each pair of plates I36, a shaft or bolt I38 is extended, and on one of these bolts I38, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a sheave I39 is mounted, and also on this shaft I38 a sheave casing I40 is mounted, there being a cable tube I4I extending rearwardly between plates I36 to the rear end of the tractor. A sheave casing I42, on the rear end of the tube MI is pivotally connected to the outer end of an arm I43 which swingably extends from a cable winch I44, as shown in Fig. 1. The cable drum I45 of the winch I44, carries a cable I46 which extends around a sheave I41, supported in the casing I42, into the cable tube MI. The cable passes through the cable tube to the sheave I39 and a cable loop I48 is formed in depending relation to the sheave I39 by extending a portion I49 of the cable, as shown in Fig. 2, down under a sheave I 50, and thence upward, as indicated at II to a sheave I52 mounted on a spreader member I53 which is preferably a tube. From the sheave I52'a lateral portion I54 of the cable extends to a second sheave I52 supported near the other end of the spreader member I53, and a depending loop I55 is formed by carrying a portion I56 of the cable downward from the sheave I52 under a second sheave I50, and then extending a portion I51 of the cable upward to be secured at I 58 on the remaining lateral bolt I38. The sheaves I50 are each carried in a sheave casing I59, having a cylindrical projection I60, as shown in Fig. 8, a bolt I6I being extended down through this cylindrical projection I60 to pass through an opening I6Ia in the outer end I21 of a lever I24. A head I62 is secured on the lower end of the bolt I6I and a spring I63 is placed between the sheave casing I59 and the lever I24 to urge the casing I 59 toward raised position so that the same will not rattle. The casing I59 may swing on the bolt I6I as required in the operation of the device.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the sheaves I52 and I52 are carried between pairs of plates I64 which are'welded to the tube I53, not including the center bar, on opposite sides of openings I65. Each sheave I52 or I52 is mounted on a pin I66 carried by the plates I64, this pin I66 being in such position that the sheave will be held so that the upper portion I61 thereof will project into the opening I68 of the tube I53. The sheaves I52 and I52 direct the lateral extension I 54 of the cable in and out of the axial opening I58 of the tube I53. The tube I53 is connected to the upper ends of the levers or arms I31 by use of ball and socket connections I69, details of which are best shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Each connection I69 comprises a ball member I slidable on an end portion I1I of the tube I53, there being a stop I12 on the end of a tube I53 to limit outward movement of the ball memher I10. This ball member is received in a split socket comprised of a base portion I13 welded at the upper end of plates I36 and a cap portion I14 which is secured to the base portion I13 by means of bolts I15. The ball member may have a projection I16 which extends down into an opening I11 in the base member I13, the purpose of this projection I16 being to prevent rotation of the ball member I10, but permitting oscillation thereof in the socket as the angle of the tube I53 changes as a result of the raising and lowering of the tread elements 2 I.

The levers I24, to which the sheaves I are connected, form part of a sensitive equalizer H5 which is mounted on the rear portion of the upper face of the cross-member 30, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The equalizer comprises a central link I I6, fulcrumed at its center by means of a pin I I1 supported by webs H8 which project upward from the central portion 3| of the crossmember 30. The ends II9 of the member II5 are bent rearwardly at a relatively small angle, and pins I20 therein are connected by links I2I with pins I22 carried at the inner ends I23 of the levers I24 which are referred to as the outer levers. These levers I24 are fulcrumed on the pins I25 carried by plates I26 which project upwardly from the rearwardly sloping side portions 32 of the cross-member 30. The pins I25 are positioned near the inner ends I23 of the levers I24 so that the outer end I21 of the levers I24 will swing through a greater distance, for a given are of rotation, than will the inner ends I23 thereof.

The depending cable loops I48 and I cooperate with the laterally extending portion I54 of the cable to form an equalizing means to compensate for vertical movement of the supports 92 which 'are mounted on the tread elements 21. The equalizing means I I 5 is connected in parallel with the equalizing means represented by the cable, and is much more sensitive in its response to changes in the vertical positions of the supports 92 than is the cable equalizing means. Any sudden change in vertical position of either of the sheaves I50 results in a substantially instantaneous readjustment of the positions of the levers I24 and H6 so that the static load represented by the thrust member 21 and the pusher blade 28 carried thereby. is substantially constantly equally divided between the supports 92 and in a like manner carried through the respective tread elements 2I to the ground.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 5, all of the details of the attachment are the same as those described relative to Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that in Figs. 3 and 4 the mechanical equalizer II5, the sheaves I50, and the connecting parts shown therewith are omitted. The cable loops I48 and I55 are carried down under sheaves I15, Figs. 3, 4, and 9, which are mounted near the ends of the cross-member 38 on pins l16 which pass through plates I11 welded to the sloping portions I3I in upwardly projecting position. In this form of the invention, the cable constitutes the sole means for equalizing the transmission of the load from the thrust member 21 to the support 92 and thence to the tread elements 2I.

In Figs. 12 and 13, I show a side arm 29 with an extension 10 secured in a position to hold a pusher blade 28 in lateral position, as in Fig. 1, by a clamping means 12 of the form previously disclosed and by an alternative form of clamping means 13:: to replace the previously disclosed clamping means 13. This clamping means 13a carries a collar 82, and when the extension I0 is in the forwardly diverging relation to the side arm 29, as shown in Fig. 12, and which position of the extension 10 is necessary to support the pusher blade in laterally extending position, a screw member 14 may be passed through the collar 82 of the plate I81 into a threaded member 19 of the type shown in detail in Fig. 10. In the use of this form of clamping means, the extension 10 is rigidly held at two spaced points by a securing means 12' and a securing means 13a.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an attachment for use with a tractor of the character described, the combination of: a thrust member comprising a pair of side arms to extend along the side of the tractor and a crossmember connected to the front portions of said rigidly clamp said extension to said side arm in different positions of projection thereof relative to said side arm corresponding to the different positions of said pusher blade, whereby said pusher blade may be rigidly secured to said thrust member in all of its different positions.

2. In an attachment for use with a tractor of the character described, the combination of: a

. thrust member comprising a pair of side arms to extend along the side of the tractor and a crossmember connected to the front portions of said side arms so as to extend across the front of the tractor, there being pivotal means for connecting said side arms to the tractor; a pusher blade connected to said cross-member so as to be swung from a lateral position to an angled position; and means to rigidly secure the end portions of said pusher blade to said thrust member in either of said positions thereof, said securing means comprising an extension along one of said side arms and having the front end thereof connected to said pusher blade, said extension having a pair of spaced openings therethrough formed by walls which taper toward said side arm, and a pair of clamping screws threaded through said openings into said side arm, said clamping screws having heads to seat tightly in said openings and engaging said tapered walls.

3. In an attachment for use with a tractor of the character described, the combination of: a

' thrust member comprising a pair of side arms to extend along the side of the tractor and a crossmember connected to the front portions of said side arms so as to extend across the front of the tractor, there being pivotal means for connecting said side arms to the tractor; a pusher blade con nected to said cross-member so as to be swung from a lateral position to an angled position; and means to rigidly secure the end portions of said pusher blade to said thrust member in either of said positions thereof, said securing means comprising an extension slidable along one of said side arms and having the front end thereof connected to said pusher blade, said extension having a pair of spaced bodies to engage said side arm, there being an opening through each of said bodies with a tapered seat, walls forming a part of said side arm and having threaded openings therein spaced to correspond to the spacing of said openings of said bodies and being of smaller diameter than said openings of said bodies, clamping screws to pass through said openings of said bodies into engagement with said threaded openings, the threaded shanks of said screws 'being of materially smaller diameter than said openings, and said clamping screws having tapered heads to fit tightly in said tapered seats of said openings of said bodies and centralize said openings of said bodies with said threaded openings of said side arm.

4. In an attachment for use with a tractor of the character described, the combination of a thrust member comprising a pair of side arms to I extend along the sides of the tractor and a crossmember connecting the forward portions of said side arms and extending across the front of the tractor; a pusher blade having a rearwardly facing channel extending longitudinally across the rear of said pusher blade from a point adjacent one end thereof to a point adjacent the other end thereof; means pivotally connecting the central portion of said pusher blade to said cross-memher so that it may be swung from lateralposition to angled position wherein a portion of said cross-member will lie in said channel and so that I it may be rotated relative to an axis extending substantially longitudinally of said tractor to vary the pitch of the pusher blade; extensions securable to said side arms and to the end portions of said pusher blade, there being means for securing said extensions rigidly to said side arms in selected positions of forward projection so as to hold said pusher blade in lateral or angled position, and there being means rigidly securing said extensions to the end portions of said pusher blade in selected vertically spaced positions to hold said blade in pitched position or in horizontal position; means for connecting said thrust member to said tractor; and means for raising and lowering said thrust member.

FRANK P. LAWLER. 

